ISLAMABAD, July 24 (Online): A survey of more than 40,000 LGBTQ+ youths finds that almost half of the respondents had engaged in acts of self-harm over the past year. Among transgender and nonbinary youths, more than 60% responded in this way. Since 2019, the nonprofit organization The Trevor Project, who offer mental health and suicide prevention support to LGBTQ+ youths in the United States, have been running a nationwide mental health survey. The results of their 2020 survey paint a stark picture. They have revealed that a large number of LGBTQ+ youths have encountered discrimination and adversity and experienced mental health issues such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Amit Paley, CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project, writes that the “need for robust research, systematic data collection, and comprehensive mental health support has never been greater,” since “suicide is consistently the second leading cause of death among young people and continues to disproportionately impact LGBTQ youth.” The fact that so many LGBTQ+ youths experience mental health struggles may come as no surprise, given the fact that a large number of the survey respondents also reported experiencing discrimination, harassment, or adversity tied to their gender identity or sexual orientation. Around … Continue reading National LGBTQ+ mental health survey paints a stark picture: Research